How should I ask permission to telework?
- All Federal agencies are required to identify the positions that are appropriate for teleworking, and to offer the opportunity to telework to the people in these positions.
- Remember that employee participation is voluntary and subject to management approval, and that it is a management option rather than an employee benefit. You are not "entitled" to telework — there must be a clear advantage to the Government from your teleworking.
- Not all managers and supervisors are equally familiar with teleworking, and some have very real concerns about effectively supervising people who are teleworking. If you think your supervisor is going be hesitant in approving your teleworking, it is up to you to do your homework thoroughly and make a comprehensive proposal to your supervisor pointing out the advantages to the organization of your teleworking, explaining what part of your job you would do at home, and on what schedule. A description of your home work setup is also important for this approval.
- Some of the advantages to your agency are:
- Improves the quality of work and increases productivity. Employees concentrate on the "project" itself with less distraction from the office environment;
- Improves morale and reduces stress by giving employees more options to balance work and family demands;
- Saving hours of commuting time allows the employee to spend more time on projects, completing them with a higher quality of work in a timelier manner.
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